'Dexter' Review: "Do You See What I See"

‘Dexter’ season 7 plants evidence of its eleventh and penultimate episode of the season, “Do You See What I See,” as Dexter finds himself with an opportunity to kill one of the men who murdered his mother, Deb finds deadly consequences in pursuit of a lead that could put Hannah (Yvonne Strahovski) away, and LaGuerta steps up her investigation of the Bay Harbor Butcher.

Last week’s ‘Dexter’ episode “The Dark...Whatever” saw Hannah’s father Clint (Jim Beaver) complicating their relationship by asking for money, while Dexter faced a difficult realization over the “Phantom Arsonist” killings, and LaGuerta had a breakthrough in her secret investigation. So how does “Do You See What I See” prime Dexter for next week's season finale?

Read on for your in-depth recap of everything you need to know about ‘Dexter’ season 7 episode 11, “Do You See What I See!”

Dexter finds himself pondering his future, killing victims as an older man while Hannah continues gardening, and a teenage Harrison drives off. As the vision leaves him, Dexter gets a call that Hector Estrada, one of the men responsible for his mother’s death is up for parole, and likely to be released. Dexter attends the hearing, but enters no statement hoping to save Estrada for himself.

Batista provides Deb with Arlene Schram’s contact information, while Dexter meets with Tom Matthews on his boat. Having called him there, Tom puts forth that LaGuerta believes him to possibly be the real Bay Harbor Butcher, given his history and serial killer brother, but Dexter deflects the suspicions. He admits to having moved his boat from his earlier marina, explaining that Doakes too kept a boat there off-record. Dexter never came forward about Doakes’ boat out of fear, an excuse Tom seems to buy.

Deb meets with Arlene Schram and promises her immunity for testifying against Hannah McKay, later meeting up with the family to take Harrison’s photo with Santa. Deb agrees to get involved in throwing LaGuerta off the trail, while across town Arlene Schram and Hannah meet up, Hannah promising to get Deb off her case.

That night, Deb watches LaGuerta leave her home, while Quinn heads to the Foxhole once again unable to reach Nadia. One of the dancers informs him that Nadia moved to Vegas needing a fresh start, leaving a Dear John in the process.

The following day, LaGuerta and Matthews look over the Bay Harbor Butcher evidence in her garage, finding an old tackle box with a key that seems to prove the existence of Doakes’ boat. They track the key to a long-abandoned boathouse, finding a roll of knives with prints that unmistakably belong to Doakes, but LaGuerta can’t be shaken of her suspicions. Matthews renounces his part in the investigation, but still demands he receive the pension as his end of the bargain.

Meanwhile, Hannah pays a visit to Deb, hoping to settle their differences now that Dexter seems happy, but Deb assures her that she’ll protect her brother by seeing Hannah arrested. The next day, Dexter visits Matthews once more to confirm that LaGuerta’s investigation has ended, and shares the news with Deb over the phone. He next follows a released Hector Estrada, and pretends to be a drug upstart with product to move, setting a time to meet the man later. Immediately after, Batista calls with news that Deb’s been in a car accident.

Dex races to the hospital, learning from Batista that Deb blacked out behind the wheel from an overdose of her anxiety medication, en route to meet with Arlene Schram. Deb admits to having no idea what could have put that much of the drugs in her system, but that it could have something to do with Hannah coming to visit her the previous night. Dexter doesn’t want to believe that Hannah could have had a hand in it, but few other options seem likely.

Having found what appears to be a blonde hair near Deb’s medicine cabinet, and a bottle of water to be tested from her totaled car, Dexter hopes that Hannah still wasn’t involved. He returns home to find Hannah cooking, and shares a nice family Christmas dinner with her, Harrison and Jamie. Hannah gives him a framed photo of the two as a gift, as Dexter muses that he has no certain way of trusting a poisoner.

Dexter takes Hannah home, and the two share an argument when Dexter expresses his suspicions that Hannah might have had something to do with Deb’s accident. Assuring that Arlene Schram would even be a real threat to her, Hannah vehemently denies any involvement, putting forth that Dexter has his own issues with trust and needs to decide what kind of future he wants for their relationship.

Later, Dexter leads Estrada to an empty shipping crate, before reviving him strapped to the table. Dexter explains his identiy as Laura Moser’s son, and prepares to kill the man with a chainsaw, before Estrada mentions something about him working with the Miami Metro Captain who pushed for his release in the first place. Dexter realizes that LaGuerta set him up, right as she arrives to the shipping yard, tipped off by officers following Estrada. She opens the shipping crate to find nothing but plastic coated walls and a running chainsaw, while Dexter makes his getaway with Estrada. Unfortunately, Estrada elbows him and manages to get away.

The next morning, Dexter learns from an analysis of Deb’s water bottle that the water was laced with dangerous amounts of the anxiety drug, seemingly confirming Hannah’s involvement. After taking Deb home from the hospital, he provides her with Sal Price’s pen to incriminate Hannah, knowing his sister won’t be safe with Hannah on the loose.

Dexter shows up to Hannah’s, who seems overjoyed to see him, and the two share one last kiss before the police show up to take her away. Heartbroken, Hannah tells Dexter he should have killed her, and Dexter watches her taken away while musing how he can’t count on the future after all.

Well that jumped up a notch, didn't it? We'd been worried that 'Dexter' dispatched its main threats too early, leaving only Hannah and LaGuerta's investigation to carry the rest of the season, but now his Christmas goose seems thoroughly cooked. Not only does LaGuerta have apparent confirmation that the Butcher is still alive, but now Hannah has the power to put Dexter behind bars as well. It even seems unusually cavalier to let so many loose ends dangle, but next week's finale should be a palpable one. Not to mention, we wouldn't put it past Deb to drug the water herself, hoping it would get her brother away from Hannah's side.

What about you? Did you get your fill of darkly dangerous ‘Dexter’ drama? What did you think about the episode? Join us next week for another all-new ‘Dexter’ episode recap of season finale “Surprise, Motherf---er!” on Showtime!